Holiday Flip: 4 Modern Beer Cocktails to Spice Up the Holidays

Transforming a beer right in your glass through blending and ingredient infusion is a fun way to experiment with ingredients or add a twist to one pint out of the many in your homebrew keg. Today, we’re going to take a look at a few modern takes on the historical flip beer cocktail from America’s colonial era.

What was once a hot-served beer cocktail used as a daily remedy for aches and pains, is now inspiration for some of the tastiest—though some say blasphemous—homebrew beer cocktails you’ll have this holiday!

Notes about these flip cocktail recipes: These are intended to be prepared in the tradiitonal process highlighted in the article Flip: For What Ales You. In short, a flip is made by mixing spices and other ingredients in a metal mug and then heating it up, which was traditionally achieved by submerging a red-hot metal rod into the mug. Follow the link above for more information on colonial American flip, including history, heating techniques, safety precautions and the classic recipe.

4 Flip Cocktail Recipes

1.The Modern Classic

This recipe doesn’t stray far from the traditional American flip. We decided to leave the bread and egg out to make it more appealing, though it can actually be quite tasty! The sweetness of a ripe persimmon and the malt from an old ale paired with the assertive spicy flavors of ginger, cinnamon and allspice make for a peppery-sweet twist on classic flip.

Ingredients:

12 oz | old ale

1/8 tsp | allspice, ground

1/4 tsp | ginger, fresh zest

1/8 tsp | ceylon cinnamon

2 tsp | persimmon, without skin

1/4 tsp | lemon zest

2. Grandpa’s Hot Chocolate

There’s nothing like a mug of hot chocolate to get in the holiday spirit. Adding s’mores inspired ingredients into a smooth oatmeal stout will make for the best hot chocolate you’ve ever had, but keep it away from the kids! Add in some mini-marshmallows and a splash of peppermint spirits if your feeling especially fancy.

Ingredients:

12 oz | oatmeal stout

1/4 tsp | ceylon cinnamon

1 drop | vanilla extract

1/2 | bite-sized chocolate bar

Marshmallows to taste

1 oz peppermint spirits (optional)

3. Flip-arita

Sometimes a margarita is just what you need on a cold night. The dash of sage melds with the tequila to transform the beach-inspired flip into something more reminiscent of the winter holidays. The fruit and acidic character of the lime and witbier balance the spicy herbal-ness of the sage and tequila nicely. Serve this one cold!

Ingredients:

12 oz | Belgian witbier

1/4 | small lime, wedged & squeezed

1/6 | tsp ground sage

1 oz | tequila

4. Fall Bounty Flip

The flavors of fall often find their way into holiday dishes and desserts. The cinnamon, pumpkin and pie spices create a very smooth mouthfeel which mellows at the rum. Slice the apple thin to encourage a refreshingly sweet balance to the beer and spices. If you need an even bigger apple kick, add a splash of homebrewed cider!

Ingredients:

12 oz | pumpkin beer

1/4 | medium apple, thinly sliced

1/8 tsp | ceylon cinnamon

1 oz | rum

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